Evolution of "invasion syndrome" in invasive goldenrod is not constrained by genetic trade-offs.

A suite of plant traits is thought to make weed populations highly invasive, including vigorous growth and reproduction, superior competitive ability, and high dispersal ability. Using a breeding design and a common garden experiment, we tested whether such an "invasion syndrome" has evolved in an invasive range of , and whether the evolution is likely to be genetically constrained. We found an overall shift in invasive phenotypes between native North American and invasive Japanese populations.